


Suspend All Disbelief, Part 2: The Family Dragon

by OftenEvening



Series: Suspend All Disbelief [2]
Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Because this little series needs them to live!, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Humor, Hadn't planned on this but it was asked for and oh my I had fun writing it :D, Happy Ending, M/M, Maybe a mix, Mentioned idols and actors, More drama tropes!, Or maybe is it...., again. :)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:53:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25809178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OftenEvening/pseuds/OftenEvening
Summary: San and Yeosang at a wedding reception. By reader request. ;)  Important!! Read Part 1 of this little series first, or it won't make any sense! :)
Relationships: Choi San/Kang Yeosang
Series: Suspend All Disbelief [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1872148
Comments: 14
Kudos: 80





	Suspend All Disbelief, Part 2: The Family Dragon

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Deonara2012](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deonara2012/gifts), [seohnat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/seohnat/gifts).



> Seriously, read the first part of this series before continuing, if you haven't read it yet. This part is definitely **not** a standalone piece. :) 
> 
> I hope I fulfilled the wishes of the people who wanted a followup!

“Yeosang.” What was his aunt doing with Yena and Yerim? “My aunt!” he hissed. “She has two of my cousins! Yena’s our age, but Yerim, that’s her baby sister! Two years younger. She’s doubling down! I don’t know who those guys are, but can’t she just wait until people want to be married? Yerim’s still in college! They could be dating people already. Or too busy! Or not interested in endless weekly meetings at the same hotel, with the staff _knowing_ why you’re there, which, by the way, makes you feel horribly on display.”

“Would they tell her that?”

“Yes. Probably. But not right now. How can she do this _right now_?”

“Because dating isn’t engaged or married, and the Son family...hm. Must be related to the groom’s side somehow. If she could lock that up today—"

“None of them look happy.”

“Then we should save them.”

If only if were that easy. “I wish I could. But she’s...she’s unstoppable. You know what I had to go through to escape.”

“I feel vaguely insulted.”

“No! I mean, you’re the only good thing to come out of those miserable weeks.”

“I’m a thing?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Will you stop?” San snapped. “I get to _date you_ , because of her. I’m still not used to it. It still feels like a dream I don’t want to wake up from. Is that better?”

Yeosang smiled blindingly at him, then leaned in to kiss his cheek. “You’re such a sweetheart.”

“Why would you...is that the whole kissing me if I wore a suit again thing?”

“San-ah,” Yeosang said patiently, “after a month, you still can’t tell the difference between a kiss and a peck? From me?”

“Um….” Yes, he could tell the difference, but there was no way Yeosang would actually _kiss-_ kiss him in front of all these people. So what was he supposed to expect?

“Back to the topic at hand. The dragon. They do look uncomfortable. Dongmyeong looks like he’s in hell.”

“Hold on.” Weren’t all these people supposed to be strangers to Yeosang? “You know them?”

“The twins? Sort of.” He had his phone out and was scrolling through his contacts. “I know I have Dongju’s phone number.”

“He can’t answer a phone call when he’s talking to my aunt.” No one did that.

“He’ll answer mine.” He pressed the call button.

San watched in shock as one of the young men dug a phone out of his pocket, a loud jangling, ringing noise cutting the air. His aunt’s face grew rigid.

“Dongju, if you want to escape, listen. Politely—and I do mean politely—tell that enchanting woman you’re talking to that it’s your father calling you, and that you’re so sorry but you both have to leave. And then go. Hang up now.”

San watched as the boy began talking and smiling at his aunt, his twin staring at him in puzzlement until—well, grinding your heel into someone’s shoe was usually a good hint to play along. Then they were both bowing and within a minute, headed straight to the doors. One of them—Dongju?—was flicking his eyes around the room, caught sight of them, and a broad smile crossed his face, but he didn’t stop. San didn’t blame him one bit. His aunt looked annoyed. His two cousins, relieved beyond measure.

“How do you know them?” he asked curiously.

“Through Wooyoung, of course. Most anyone in Seoul, within a few years of our age, older or younger, with a respectable amount of family wealth, he knows. His mother loves to throw parties. Fun ones, which isn’t so common in those circles.” He shook his head with a smile.

Wealth? Family wealth?

“Wooyoung’s family has money?”

“Yes.”

“I never knew....”

“When it’s just a fact of your existence, sometimes you forget. Or you’d rather blend in during undergrad, make friends who don’t want to be near you just for your bank account. Does it bother you, never having known before?” His eyes were watchful.

“If he felt,” he paused to be sure of himself before saying more. Okay, yeah. “If he felt more comfortable having it not be known, I can understand that, I think. If we’d dated a long time, it’d have been different—oh! Does Changbin know?” It would be horrible if he didn’t.

“He does. He grew up knowing. There’s a company both families share stock in. They have a long-running friendly competition to be the majority shareholder. Neither’s achieved it yet.”

Wooyoung and Changbin. But Yeosang was _best friends_ with Wooyoung. Had known him a very long time. Knew a lot about his life. Was so comfortable with him, that, until recently, he’d only ever allowed Wooyoung to hug him for more than a few seconds without complaining.

“And...you?”

Yeosang looked at him steadily. “I could say I don’t have to worry that much, but that isn’t true. My parents would kick my ass for wasting money they spent educating me.”

Two of his friends were wealthy, San thought blankly. Secretly wealthy. That was...weird. But how else could they have known each other so long if they moved in different circles? Not that he was entirely unused to people with money. His aunt had married rich. His new brother-in-law did very well in his career. It felt odd, but it could maybe be a point in Yeosang’s favor, with his aunt, make her less likely to look down on him, if he could somehow make that known. Though how to do it without being tacky?

“Don’t you think receptions are so much better than weddings, San? You can look around at receptions. Oh, my...Wheein-noona is here. Who’s her husband? Park…Park Hyungsik. That’s his name. And there he is. So it’s _that_ Park family your sister married into. Your aunt is quite remarkable.”

“She’s obsessively determined, is what she is. How do you know…the person you just mentioned?” First the Son twins, now two other guests?

“She’s an older cousin of Wooyoung’s. She’s nice. Met the husband at a Jung family party. Very pleasant, for a corporate lawyer. And now your aunt is glaring at you. Time to introduce me,” he said cheerfully. “It’ll seem less dreamlike once she starts her interrogation.”

“Oh. Right.” This could get messy. “You’re ready?”

“I thought you wanted to see us in a stare-down.” 

“I did. She’s just...”

“San, have a little faith. Do I seem worried?”

“You don’t know her.”

“I’ve heard stories. And I know people like her.”

Family money. Maybe he did. But no one was like his aunt.

Reluctantly, he began to lead the way towards the forbidding face. Diamonds tonight, he thought glumly. Probably all she owned. Decked out and waiting to pounce.

“San. Beloved nephew. Who’s this person with you?”

But before he could speak—

“Buonasera signora Choi, è un piacere poterla incontrare, finalmente."

She blinked. Yeosang smiled and bowed. She blinked again.

What in the world?

“It is…a pleasure to meet you, too,” she said.

The tension San had been harboring lessened, a little.

“Aunt, this is Kang Yeosang.” He bowed.

She gave them both curt nods.

“I have heard about you, young man.”

“Nothing dreadful or disconcerting, I hope.”

“Not that I know of. Yet,” she added darkly. “You attend the same university? What are you studying? What are your future plans? Where does your family live?”

Like a carousel going too fast, her questions blurred together in his mind, but Yeosang smiled again, and reached for his hand, lacing their fingers together. His aunt’s eyes darted down, but San did not tug away. He was proud of himself for that, small as the victory was.

“We do. My best friend, Jung Wooyoung, introduced us sophomore year. I’m studying organizational psychology, and will be including my approved senior thesis proposal in my applications for a doctorate program. My parents are currently living in Seoul.”

“Jung Wooyoung?” she asked sharply. “Is he any relation to the Jung Importers family?”

“Second son of the current chairman. He’s also related to Jung Wheein, whom I believe I saw earlier? With Park Hyungsik, her husband, though right now,” he looked around the room. “Ah, I see he’s with _his_ cousin, Park Seo Joon. And I think—I could be wrong, of course—but it looks like they’re speaking with Choi Minho. Hadn’t realized he was related to you, San.”

“Uh, yeah, he is.” Those men were definitely years older than them. How could Yeosang know their names and faces? “Not sure how, exactly. My grandfather had several brothers.”

“Add in all the marriages, and your extended family must be quite large. That reminds me! You and I, ma’am, have something in common: matchmaking. I am not near your level of expertise, of course.” He bowed his head. “But it was most satisfactory to push my roommate together with his crush. The only downside is his crush is very affectionate. Dorms don’t have much space, you know,” he said confidentially.

His aunt looked a bit...stunned.

“Thankfully, San’s roommate is almost never present, so when the sweet and loving atmosphere filling _my_ room becomes too much, I can flee to _his_ room. To study, of course. Unless I’m too tired, and then I sleep over. It works out rather well.”

San knew the blush on his aunt’s face was nothing to rival his. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his uncle’s eldest daughter approach, a sly smile on her face. Thank God, a diversion.

“Aunt Choi,” she said sweetly. “May I speak with you?”

“Now, Sooyoung? Interrupting...I thought you’d grown out of that.”

Embarrassment aside, San had to swallow a laugh.

“Time-sensitive information, Auntie.” She gently pulled her aside.

“Why did you tell her _that_?” he demanded in a whisper to Yeosang.

“Just making it clear to her there’s no point in inviting you to any future events where yet more young women are around. I told you, I know people like her.”

Well. That made sense. He cast a quick glance to his cousin, still talking to his aunt.

“Why did you speak to her in...was that Italian?”

“Entertainment.” He grinned. “For a few years, she tried to befriend my mother. Since we have...important business contacts in Germany and Italy, she’d sometimes roll out the Italian and talk about Milan fashion week. Bored my mother to tears. She likes suits in navy and black. Same brand for twenty-plus years. They didn’t click, so I had no reason to remember your aunt’s name, but her face? Difficult to forget. Didn’t know _she_ was your family dragon.”

His uncle-in-law _had_ been stationed by his company in Italy for a number of years. Blessedly quiet years for everyone in Korea.

“So you learned a few phrases?”

“A bit more than that. Education is _truly_ important in my family. It was decided my sister should learn German, and I should learn Italian. I’m a bit rusty, but my sister is quite fluent in her second language. And her Mandarin is passable, I’ve been told.”

“Oh.” His family was multilingual and wealthy. But Yeosang was not his family, he reminded himself. And Yeosang had confessed first so...it was okay.

His cousin was drifting away, a smirk on her face, and his aunt...her expression was thunderous. Just when he’d started to think Yeosang on solid, unshakeable ground. He licked his lips nervously.

“Kang Yeosang. Your family. Your family’s business is Crescent Group?” Her voice was clipped.

“Ah, yes. Yes, it is.”

How could he be so calm when she looked and sounded like that—and why was she so upset to learn his family was in business? Her gaze switched to him, and he tightened his grip on Yeosang’s hand.

“You did not tell me, San, that piece of information.”

“It’s...important?” He had no idea what was going on.

“Of course it is! Your sister’s new husband works for a subsidiary of Crescent Group.”

Subsidiary. That was like…a company owned by another or something, wasn’t it?

“Is that why he seemed familiar? Park Jinyoung. When did I see him?” Yeosang mused.

“Among thousands of employees, how could you remember _any_ of them?”

“I know many people, and I remember faces quite well. I think I saw him at someone’s retirement party. He’s an assistant vice-president where he works, isn’t he?” Yeosang tipped his head back and regarded his aunt thoughtfully. “My sister may be the next CEO and chair, in time, but when I get my doctorate, my focus will be on employees.”

His aunt...was holding back. San stared at her. The only logical reason would be if she suddenly saw Yeosang as somebody with influence, but he was too young. Unless....

“Yeosang, is your family...,” he asked tentatively, “like Samsung-chaebol-big?”

“No, nothing like that,” he said reassuringly. “If I had to compare us to a well-known name, I suppose we could be called half-Hyundai-chaebol-big—financially. When the markets are good.”

“Shit.” He could never, ever have imagined knowing someone at _that_ level of wealth. Never have thought he’d be…dating someone with a family like that. Yeosang had always seemed so _normal_.

“Watch your mouth, nephew!”

“With all due respect, he’s entitled to be shocked. He didn’t know.”

His aunt looked at him incredulously. “How could you not know?”

“He lives in the dorms. Why would it occur to me? Why would it even matter? I like _him_.”

“San-ah, that’s not fair. Saying something like that? _While_ you’re wearing the same suit?”

He turned to look at Yeosang in puzzlement. “What?”

“How are you extra cute when you’re slow?” he asked with a laugh.

“I am not—.” He _had_ meant a _kiss_ -kiss. Oh, God, he was never going to get used to this. Fire ice. Electric waves. Everything else just _fading_.

Though a shriek could apparently break through. He jerked back, startled. Everyone was looking at them. No, not everyone...more people were looking down...at the ground...where his aunt had just...fainted?

That was a problem. But not really _his_ problem. Maybe them staying would make it worse when she came round? His sister’s wedding, though...his eyes scanned the crowd, searching for her. There she was, jumping up and down, waving her hands to get his attention. He smiled at her. She mouthed the word “go” to him. Perfect.

“Let’s leave,” he whispered.

“Probably should,” Yeosang murmured back. “I’m only allowed one scandal a year. Though given the third party involved, my mother will probably forgive me quickly. And her word is law. She’s going to like you.”

“I hope she will, but is there a specific reason why you think that?” They were walking next to the wall. The doors were so close.

“Because you’re you. Also I spotted Wheein-noona half-hiding two yards from where we were, which means she filmed _everything_. She’ll email the video to Wooyoung—whole family has a streak of mischief a mile wide—and he’ll send it to me,” he sighed, “with commentary. Which I’ll delete before sending the footage to my mother. She’ll find it _very_ sweet that you so obviously didn’t know and didn’t care about them. Or the money. Your aunt fainting? Unexpected and overdramatic, but I’d call it a bonus.”

“I’ve _never_ seen her do that before.” Out the doors, yes!

“Probably wasn’t just the kiss. But that, right after learning she’d potentially antagonized a lever of power? Much too much.”

“Lever of power,” he huffed. “Not nice.”

“No,” Yeosang replied, his voice trembling slightly. He cleared his throat. “It isn’t very nice, but there are plenty of people like her. But I’m glad she exists. If not for her, we wouldn’t be where we are now. Speaking of that…can I sleep over?”

“Uh…don’t you need to put that suit away? I’m guessing it’s more expensive than mine.”

“It’s not my only suit. And it’s not like I’d fling it on the floor—we’ve only been dating a month, San. But I so, _so_ want to kiss you more.”

“Oh. Well. Then…yeah. Sleepover’s fine. Sleepover’s…good.”

“Perfect.”

So perfect.

**Author's Note:**

> Wheeeeee!
> 
> Gonna go binge-watch a drama rom-com now. :D
> 
> (Did anyone catch why three famous names were put together? Hehehehe..... So gleeful when I realized their last names made it work.)


End file.
